Words: , cir­ca 1895.

Music: Fin­land­ia, Jean Si­bel­i­us, 1899.

This hymn has a sad sto­ry as­so­ci­at­ed with it. In Jan­u­ary 1956, five mis­sion­ar­ies sang it be­fore en­ter­ing the Ecua­dor­i­an jun­gle to bring the Gos­pel to the Au­ca In­di­ans. Their names were Nate Saint, Ed Mc­Cul­ly, Jim El­li­ott, Ro­ger Yo­der­i­an, and Pe­ter Flem­ing. Af­ter the men reached the Au­cas, the In­di­ans mur­dered them on the Cur­a­ray Riv­er. How­ev­er, the sto­ry has a hap­py end­ing. Years lat­er, con­tact with the Au­cas was re-es­tab­lished, and ma­ny came to Christ, in­cluding the kil­lers, which is how first hand de­tails of the mis­sion­ar­ies’ deaths came to light.

One of the best known of the five mar­tyrs was Jim El­li­ot. A num­ber of his say­ings are still quot­ed (e.g., “He is no fool who gives what he can­not keep, to gain what he can­not lose”). El­liot’s wife Elisabeth went on to con­sid­er­a­ble fame as an au­thor and radio broad­cast­er. Her book Through the Gates of Splen­dor de­scribes the en­count­er with the Au­cas; its ti­tle comes from a line in this hymn.

We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender!
We go not forth alone against the foe;
Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender,
We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.
Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender,
We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.

Yes, in Thy Name, O Captain of salvation!
In Thy dear Name, all other names above;
Jesus our Righteousness, our sure Foundation,
Our Prince of glory and our King of love.
Jesus our Righteousness, our sure Foundation,
Our Prince of glory and our King of love.

We go in faith, our own great weakness feeling,
And needing more each day Thy grace to know:
Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing,
“We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.”
Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing,
“We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.”

We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender!
Thine is the battle, Thine shall be the praise;
When passing through the gates of pearly splendor,
Victors, we rest with Thee, through endless days.
When passing through the gates of pearly splendor,
Victors, we rest with Thee, through endless days.